Book-support



(NoMoael.) Q Wl NELSON 'g5 J A. LEVISAY.

BOOK SUPPORT. NO 419 870 Patented Jan. 2l`, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES NELSON ANDJ OEL A. LEVISAY, OF JACKSON, OI-IIO.

BOOK-SUPPORT.

v SPECIFICATICN forming' part of Letters Patent No. 419,870, dated January 21, 1890.

Application filed May 11, 1889. Sem'al No. 310,379. (No model.)

T0 all whom t may concern:

Beit known that we, CHARLES W. NELSON and JOEL A. LEvIsAY, of Jackson, in the county of Jackson and State of Ohio, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Book-Supports; and we do `hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invent-ion, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

Our invention relates ,to an improved bookrest to hold a book while in use at a convenient elevation.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved book-rest or a device to attach to a book and hold it in a desired position most convenient to the person using the book, and particularly to produce an adjustable book-rest that can be easily and quickly attached to (or detached from) the back of a book of any size, especially for the use with large and unhandy books, so as to hold the book in such position that it will be easy to Write in the volume. These objects are accomplished by and the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts more fully described hereinafter, and particularly point-ed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of the holder or support secured to a book-cover in readiness for use. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan of the support or elevator. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section. Fig. 4. is a cross-section.

The device comprises an oblong latbase board a of suitable dimensions, providedwith a strap b at one end, secured to one end of the board and extending longitudinally along the top face of the board and adjustably secured to the other end of the same by a suitable buckle or other fastening. The under face of the board is provided with a brace or standard so constructed that it can be adjusted to vary the distance between the base-board and the outer orjcont-act end of the standard.

In operation the upper face of the baseboard a is placed upon the cover of the book (either the front or back leaf of the cover) and the strap is passed around the cover and drawn tight and secured by means of the fastening, so that the base is rigidly secured to the cover, and when the book is open the brace or standard carried by the base will rest upon the desk or table, and thereby hold that leaf of the cover and side of the book at an inclination that can be varied by adjusting the brace.

. The strap b is of sufiicient length to extend around covers of various sizes, and at its fastened end is secured to the end of the baseboard by means of a plate CZ, covering the end of the strap, secured to the board, and lying flush with the surface of the board. The buckle or fastening for the strap at the opposite end of the base-board is also secured to the saine by means of a plate e. In the present instance the end of the plate is extended beyond the end ot' the base-board and formed to receive the cross-bar of a buckle-loop j", so that the strap can be passed around the bookn cover and through the loop and then drawn up tight.

Upon its under face vthe baser-board is provided With rubber blocks or buffers g, so that when not in use the article can rest and be moved upon a desk without noise or injury.

A deep longitudinal groove h is out in the under face of the base-board,'and in this groove a metal box is inserted open at the vtop and having the longitudinal inwardly-extending top flanges t. t, thereby forming an undercut or dovetailed Way or groove. At one end of this Way one end of an arm,plate, or lever j is stationarily hinged to allow its free end to swing over the way to or from the plane of the base-board, and to the free end of this lever one end of an arm or lever 7c is hinged, while its opposite end is hinged to a block orcarriage Z,'1novable longitudinally and confined within the undercut groove h, and this carriage is provided with` a set-screw m, whereby the carriage can be clamped in position in the groove, the set-screw extending through the carriage and engaging the bottom of the groove. It willthus be seen that the distance between the base-plate and the contact end or elbowof this standard, and

. hence the height at which the book is held,

is varied by moving the adj Listing-block Z in the groove toward or from the hinged end of IOO Athe brace, thereby drawing the elbow out or in. The elbow of the brace is preferably providediwith a strip of rubber n, secured to each arm of the standard and extending across the hinged ends, thus avoiding marring orin jury to the desk or surface upon which the standof a book, and an adjustable brace or stand ard carried by the base-board to hold the same,` and hence the book, at the desired elevation, substantially as described.

2. A book-support consisting` of a baseboard provided with an adjustable fastening tosecure the board to one side of the back of a book, and With an adjustable standard on` its opposite side to hold the book-cover at the desired elevation.

A3. In a book-support, the combination of a base-board, a strap at one end secured to one end of the base-board, a fastening for the strap at the opposite end of said board,` and anadjustable brace or standard carried by ythe board, substantially as described.

4. In a book-support, the combination of a base-board, a strap, a plate securing one end of the strap to one end of said board, a plate secured to the opposite end of said board and carrying a buckle for the free end of the strap, which extends longitudinally over one face of the board, and a brace or standard upon the opposite side of the board.

5.v A book-support consisting of a baseboard provided with a fastening to secure it to the back of the book and having a brace or standard secured to its under sideand comprising an arm hinged at one end to the board, another arm at its. free end hinged to the free end of the iirst-mentioned arm, the inner end of the last-mentioned arm being adjvustably secured to the board.

In testimony that we claim the foregoingas our own We atlix our signatures in presence of l two witnesses.

. CHARLES' W. NELSON.

JOEL A.1LEVISAY.

Vitncsscs:

J. C. ANDERSON, THos. C.LEWIs. 

